Loving Animals Is Complicated for a Meat-eater
The great bacon shortage ahead and why it’s a good thing
Beware, news stories are warning, this bacon-and-egg sandwich or these baby back ribs might be your last if you live in California. The reason? In 2018, California voters passed animal welfare laws that required chicken, veal, and pork sold in the state to be raised humanely by the beginning of 2022. Chicken and veal producers say that they’ve complied with the standards and will be allowed to continue selling in the state without interruption. But less than four percent of pork producers have made the necessary changes, and with only a few months left before the deadline, it’s looking like most pork products won’t be allowed in the state as of the new year.
The new rules aren’t extreme; they’re simply humane. They require, for instance, that pigs be kept in a pen that is at least 24 square feet. Currently, it’s typical for a pig to be confined to a pen that’s only 14 square feet, which is too small for the animal to even turn around. It’s not sentimental or overweening to think that an animal destined for the slaughterhouse at least be given a minimum of space and a chance to stretch its legs. Pork producers argue, correctly, that the new regulations will cost a fair amount. But all modifications in the public interest tend to be costly — seat…
